overthrow
/ˌoʊvɚˈθɹoʊ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.61 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp.
Transitive verb
noun
A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force; usurpation.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A throw that goes too far.
noun
A throw that goes too far.
Example Sentences
- "I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them."
- "Here's Gloſter, a Foe to Citizens, / One that ſtill motions Warre, and neuer Peace, / O're-charging your free Purſes with large Fines; / That ſeeks to ouerthrow Religion, / Becauſe he is Protector of the Realme; […]"
- "Wounded and overthrown, the Britons continued their resistance, clung round the legs of the Norman steeds, and cumbered their advance; while their brethren, thrusting with pikes, proved every joint and crevice of the plate and mail, or grappling with the men-at-arms, strove to pull them from their horses by main force, or beat them down with their bills and Welch hooks."
- "Wickedness often overthrows the health of the sinner. Go to the hospital, and see how many have ruined their health by their course of life. That drunkard. That glutton. That debauchee. Nine-tenths of the suffering from disease originates in the wickedness of the sinner."
- "Violence directed specifically at the regime in power, such as coups d'etat also often fail to attain the threshold of civil wars. While such conflicts often involve the armed forces of the society, coups d'etat are more explicitly extralegal executive transfers aimed at overthrowing the sitting regime's leaders."
- "“America voted for mass deportations,” White House adviser Stephen Miller posted Wednesday on X. He added that the demonstrators in Los Angeles are “trying to overthrow the results of the election.”"
Etymology
From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌoʊvɚˈθɹoʊ/
- British English: /əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/